BANJUL – The Gambia said on Saturday that it does not recognize Alassane Ouattara as president of Cote d’Ivoire after the arrest on Monday of his predecessor, Laurent Gbagbo, with the help of the UN and French forces.

There is no democracy without proper representation. The main goal of any participatory democracy is not to enforce a rule of majority, nor allow for an excessive power of any minority but to establish and protect the rights of all citizens. That goal is also a key element in effective poverty fighting, achieving sustainable development and championing social justice. Proper channels for participating in governance must exist to reflect each public voice and allow for proper balancing of the democratic debate.

We at AfrobeatRadio would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, for putting Gambia onto the headlines of the world’s press. Gambia certainly deserves all the attention it can get in dealing with the escalating economic and political problems.